Matthew 7:12 instructs us to treat others the way we want to be treated. I believe the Golden Rule applies in all areas of life and immigration is not excluded. If we were the undocumented immigrants, wouldn’t we want an opportunity for citizenship, an opportunity to make things right? Would we want to be stripped away from our spouses, children, or parents?

This is not a Republican or Democrat issue. Immigrants are not statistics. They are real people, with real feelings and emotions. They are people who want economic opportunities to provide for their families; people who deserve to be welcomed in, just as we would welcome our Savior.

*name has been changed to protect identity

Carmille Akande is a licensed attorney, a freelance writer, and a full-time missionary in Ghana, West Africa. Carmille blogs at carmilleakande.com, and you can follow her on Twitter @CarmilleAkande.